The occurrences and accolades achieved on September 27th are unarguably some of the most significant records in the history of sports. To begin, MLB icon Nolan Ryan set another MLB strikeout record which still stands today. Additionally, Mark McGwire furthered his record during the all-time 1998 Home Run chase. The events on 9/27 continue to serve as motivation and inspiration for many athletes attempting to achieve the highest level of achievement in professional sports.
On this date in 1973, Nolan Ryan set the MLB single-season strikeout record, which still stands at 383 pic.twitter.com/6ht9BJxYLA
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 27, 2016
YEAR: 1973
SIGNIFICANCE: Nolan Ryan set a new MLB record with his 383rd strikeout of the season
In his seventh Major League season and second year with the California Angles, SP Nolan Ryan set a new single-season strikeout record with his 383rd punch out of the campaign. Ryan broke Sandy Koufax‘s single-season strikeout mark of 382 set in 1965. Since 1973, only Randy Johnson in 2001 came the closest to breaking the record, when he struck out 372 batters as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks. 1973 was the second season of a three-year streak of 300+ strikeouts for Ryan, a record that was broken by Johnson’s five straight seasons (’98-2002). During Ryan’s eight-year stint with the Angels, he had five seasons of 300+ SO.
YEAR: 1998
SIGNIFICANCE: Mark McGwire hit his 69th and 70th home runs of the year
On this day in 1998, St. Louis Cardinals 1B Mark McGwire hit his 69th and 70th home runs of the season, over two weeks after becoming the all-time single-season home run king. Consequently, McGwire became the first ever to reach 70 home runs in a season, until Barry Bonds in 2001. Despite leading the majors in home runs (70), walks (162), OBP (.470), SLG (.752), and OPS (1.222), he finished second in the NL MVP race to Chicago Cubs OF Sammy Sosa.
YEAR: 2005
SIGNIFICANCE: Braves clinched the NL East title for a U.S. sports record 14th consecutive season
15 years ago, the Atlanta Braves won their 14th consecutive NL East title, breaking a record that extends through all major North American sports. The Braves won the division in 1991 and never looked back. Atlanta did have a little luck in 1994 when the Montreal Expos seemed to be well on their way to their first division title in their history. But due to the ’94 strike, the season was cancelled and no awards or division titles were counted. In 1997, the Braves set the Major League record for most consecutive division titles with six.
The Braves’ 14-year streak all happened under Hall of Famer Bobby Cox, who managed the team for two decades and won five NL Pennants along with the 1995 World Series. In 2006, the Braves finished in third place, 18 games behind the New York, thus ending the division-winning streak; it was also their first under .500 season since Cox took over in 1990.
On this day in 1923, Lou Gehrig hit his first major league home run. Also on this day in 1938, Gehrig hit his 493rd and last home run. pic.twitter.com/pD9QQBMA2L
— Baseball Movie Quotes (@BaseballMovieQ) September 28, 2016
YEARS: 1923 & 1938
SIGNIFICANCE: Lou Gehrig hits the first and final home runs of his iconic career
This day in history was very important in the career of New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig. In 1923, his first year with the Yankees, a 20-year-old Gehrig hit the very first home run of his career also in his first Major League start in a game against the Boston Red Sox.
Exactly 15 years later, the Iron Horse hit his 493rd and final home run of his illustrious career against the Washington Senators in front of just 2,773 fans at Yankee Stadium. The very next season, Gehrig retired in April 1939 after being diagnosed with ALS. In 17 seasons, Gehrig became one of the greatest first basemen of all time, which saw him break the all-time consecutive games record and setting new single-season RBI records.
YEAR: 1998
SIGNIFICANCE: ESPN debuted the yellow 1st down line during a Sunday Night Football broadcast
Though professional sports have always sought to drive up game attendance in order to sell merchandise, concessions, etc., football has always made a concerted effort to enhance entertainment value through their television broadcasts as well. In fact, many will point to the national broadcast of the 1958 NFL Championship Game (a.k.a. the “Greatest Game Ever Played”) as the turning point at which football won over America’s heart.
During a Sunday Night Football broadcast on this day 22 years ago between the Ravens and Bengals, another small, but incredibly significant innovation made its debut. “Sportsvision”, as it was called, was used by ESPN as a superimposed yellow first down marker for TV viewers. Such a simple yet revolutionary technical feat, it’s quite difficult to imagine watching a game without that yellow marker helping out viewers every step of the way. But until this day in 1998, nobody had ever noticed what they were missing. It’s no surprise that ESPN was also the first platform to feature a live automated strike zone.
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